Longitudinal adjustable compound ground-working tool



Lcyeop 1. INE

g- 1954 R. c. CHATTIN 2,687,683

LONGITUDINAL ADJUSTABLE CGLEPOUND GROUND-WORKING TOOL Filed March 24, 1952 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Aug. 31, 1954 R. c. CHATTIN 2,687,683

GROUND-WORKING TOOL LONGITUDINAL ADJUSTABLE COMPOUND Filed March 24. 1952 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. R01) er? 6' g- 31, 1954 R. c. CHATTIN 2,687,683

LONGITUDINAL AD USTABLE COMPOUND GROUND-WORKING TOOL Filed March 24. 1952 s Sheets-Sheet s GR P LINE f? INVENTOR.

Ber? CCJIQ Z'i'i'n Patented Aug. 31, 1954 LONGITUDINAL ADJ US GROUND-WOR TABLE COMPOUND KING TOOL Robert C. Chattin,jB0ise, Idaho Application March 24, 1952, Serial No. 278,255 12 Claims. (01. 97215) My invention is directed to a compound mulching unit for the cultivation of high bed planting areas such, for example, as the high. in which cotton and lettuce are grown in the warm farming areas of California. More specifically, my invention pertains to a correlated frusto-conic and cylindrical rotor which titled Ground position for the frusto-conic portion so cultivaa constant profile but at a variable distance from the crop line. In this adjustment particular, the instant invention is related to my copending application, Ser. No.

tensible Rotor.

In the Imperial and San Joaquin Valleys of California, lettue and cotton conventionally are planted and grown 207,333, filed January 23, 1951, and entitled Exmigratory farm labor or metractor mounted knives and the manually with chanically with to cultivate. Thus, the top soil in these areas often is hard, crusted and these adverse conditions.

To illustrate the diverse uses for machine in these irrigated, high bed a mulching young plant is leafy and bushy with only a short stem. Accordingly, cultivation in lettuce cannot proceed as close to the stem or crop line yet an equal nicety of control must be exercised to prevent physical damage. Still further conoperating a mulcher.

Accordingly, one object of my invention is to provide a compound frusto-conic rotor (for the two adjusted positions 3 side of a high bed) and cylindrical rotor (for the top margin thereof), which compound mechanism is capable of ready longitudinally adjustment to meet the varying soil conditions and crop types encountered by a farmer in the irrigated districts under consideration.

A further object of my invention is to provide a. rotor of the above type in which a common central mounting disk is employed, this disk slidably carrying the blades on one rotor and fixedly carrying the blades on the other rotor in accord with either of two species which hereinafter will be described.

Another object of my invention is to provide a combination irustoconic and cylindrical rotor in which. the ends of the frusto-conic and cylindrical portions overlap and intermesh with respect to a common mounting disk, the end of the cylindrical rotor being fixed to the mounting disk and the end of the frusto-conic rotor being slidably carried thereby so the overall length of the mulching unit may be varied without dis turbi'ng the relationship of the frusto-conic portion to the sloping side of a high bed profile ine.

Toward the attainment of the above objectives, my mulching unit may be constructed in accord with either of two species. Both species include a bladed irusto -conic rotor and a bladed cylindrical rotor which longitudinally are aligned end to end and which are mounted upon a common drive shaft. Additionally, a mounting disk mutually carries the adjacent ends of the rotors. In the first species, the cylindrical rotor is fixed to the periphery of the mounting disk and the irusto-conic rotor is slidable in aperture-like pockets carried radially in therefrom. In the second species, the reverse is true. That is to say, the frusto-conic rotor is fixed and the cylindrical rotor is slidable. Thus, these two novel mounting structures allow the cylindrical rotor to be adjusted longitudinally toward and away from the rrusto conic rotor so that cultivation may proceed closer to or further from the crop line yet the relationship of the frusto-conic rotor to the sloping profile along the sideoi the bed will be constant.

These and other objects and advantages of my invention will be set forth in the following detail description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. l is a top plan view of a high bed mulching machine in which the various individual units are adjustable longitudinally while maintaining the profile, all in accord with my invention;

Fig. 2 is a front view of a portion of the mulcher shown in 1, this figure better illustrating the manner in which the adjacent ends of both rotors are carried upon the intermediate mounting disk; 7

Fig. 3 is a detail view, taken substantially on the line 3-1-3 of Fig. 2, showing the manner in which the adjacent ends of the rotors of the first species are spaced and staggered with relation to one another;

Fig. i is a erspective view of a cylindrical rotor per se better showing the attachment plates for the cylindrical blades and the triangular apertures or pockets in which the ends of the frustoconic blades slidably are accommodated in the first species;

Figs. 5 and 5 are related detail views showing of the cylindrical rotor with respect to a crop line, the vertical arrows in these figures indicating the profile line or the bed and the manner in which the frusto-conic rotor is maintained in a fixed position with respect to' this profile line;

Fig '1 is a front View of the second species (some of the blades being removed for clarity) in which the relationship of the irusto-conic rotor to the profile line, crop line, and edge of the bed all is indicated by means of appropriate symbols; and

Fig. 8 is a section detail, taken substantially on the line t-l8 of Fig. 7, showing the manner in which the apertures are arranged radially in from the irusto conic blade attachment points.

In the initial preparation of a plowed and cultivated high bed field, a lister is operated back and forth to pile up alternate mounds and depressions. Thereafter, a former may be emplayed to level off the tops of the mounds and to give the desired angularity to the profile of the beds as shown by the profile line l in Figs. 2, 5 and 6 or the profile line la in Fig. '7. It is the flap top of each high mound which defines the planting bed and, conventionally, a single row of cotton is planted thereon. The intervening low or valley areas, on the other hand, define ditches serving as laterals for the flow of irrigation water.

Assuming cotton to be typical, after the cotton plants sprout and grow to a short height, that the outer margins and sloping. sides or" the beds be cultivated. This is done so the iniesting weeds will be cut ofi and their further growth inhibited, the crusted and sun-baked soil be broken up, fiufied, and mulched and the passage of moisture from the irrigation laterals through the beds by hygroscopic and subterranean action be enhanced. It is a cultivation of this type with which the mulching mechanism of the instant invention is concerned.

As will be understood by those skilled in the art, the mulching mechanism which is shown in Figs. 1 and 2 is suspended from a tractor and rotatably is driven fromthe power take-ofi shaft thereof. An exemplary power transfer mechanism for attaching the unit of Figs. 1. and 2 to the power take-off shaft of a tractor is illustrated in my copending application Ser. No. 278,256 filed March 2c, 1952, and entitled Power Take-Orr Mechanism for Iractors. In Figs. 1 and 2, however, I have shown only that portion of the power train which terminates with a gear housing 3. This gear housing carries a gear system which is joined to an elongated rotatable drive shaft 9 upon which various ones of the rotors per so are mounted.

I have illustrated my invention with respect to a two row niulcher which is adapted to straddle two high bed crop rows as indicated by the legends crop line in Figs. 1 and 7. To this end, four mulching units are provided, the outboard units is serving to cultivate one side and a corresponding portion. or" the top of a bed and the inboard units l 1 serving to cultivate the opposite side and top portion. Generally speaking, the inboard and outboard units are allochiral so a detailed description of but one unit will suffice.

In detail, each of the mulching and profiling units of the first species is provided with a first end disk 2, a second end disk l3, and an intermediate or mounting disk i l. Each of the end it is essential,

disks l3 and the intermediate disks iii are of equal size with equal circumferences but the other end disks l2 are somewhat larger for a purpose hereinafter to be described. Each of the disks carries a collar to having a set screw it for securing the disks to the elongated drive shaft 9.

Thus, the aperture in each of the collars I5 and the drive shaft 9 preferably is non-circular Such an extension provides a constant profile as shown in Fig. 5 and as hereinafter more fully will be explained.

Referring now to Fig. 4, the intermediate or mounting disk I 4 is pierced by a plurality of noncircular apertures 2|. plementary individually to the ends of the frustoconic rotor blades 20 so as to provide pockets therefor. Thus, the blades 20 slidably are receivable in the apertures 2| to accommodate longitudinal adjustment of the blades relativeto the disk I4, yet rotational movement of each blade is prohibited by the conformation of blade and aperture.

bolts may be utilized to secure the other end of each of the blades I9 to the rotor I3" and to secure the ends of the blades 20 to the disk I2. In any Having achieved the desired adjustment of the rotors, let :it be assumed that a high bed planted with young cotton plants is to be cultivated. In

Shield.

Typically, the mulching mechanism is tractor mounted and, in operation, the tractor is moved along the rows of growing plants parallel the crop line. At the same time, the mulching unit is driven from the power take-off shaft of the ing mechanism, a growing cotton plane 27, slight- That is to say, the profile of the bed will be maintained because of the novel mounting of the blades I9 and 20 on the intermediate disk and because of the relationship of the rotors one to another.

Turning now to the second species of my invention (see Figs. 7 and 8), there are provided a first end disk iZa, a second end disk Ida, and an intermediate or mounting disk I ia. In relative size, however, these disks diiTer from the disks of the first species. Thus, the intermediate disk I la is larger in diameter than the second end disk I3a and the first end disk I 2a is-larger in diameter than the intermediate disk.

Also, as with the previous species, an elongated square drive shaft 90. is provided and each of the disks carries a collar Eda with which to mount the disk upon the shaft by tightening a set screw its. Adjustment or" the overall length of the mulching unit is efiected by backing oil the appropriate set screw Ida and, thereafter, sliding the disk Eta and its collar longitudinally of the drive shaft.

As shown in Fig. 7, the two cooperating halves of the mulching unit includes a cylindrical ro-- tor Na and a frustoconic rotor 18a. The cylindrical rotor lia carries a first plurality of blades ita which are arranged parallel to the drive shaft ta so as to cultivate the fiat top of a bed. The frustoconic rotor, on the other hand, carries a second plurality of blades Ella which are arranged at an oblique angle to the drive shaft ea in order to cultivate the sloping side of the bed.

Referring now to Fig. 8, the intermediate or mounting disk l la is pierced by a plurality of non-circular apertures 2 la. These apertures are complementary to the corresponding ends of the cylindrical blades its so as to provide pockets therefore. Thus, the blades Ella slidably are received in the apertures 2 to to accommodate longitudinal adjustment of the blades relative to the disk Ma, yet rotational movement of each blade is prohibited by the conformation of blade and aperture.

The above description makes evident the difference between the first and second species of my invention. Thus, in the second species, the intermediate or men. ting disk lid has the irustoconic blades Ella fixed to the periphery thereof. The cylindrical blades lda, on theother hand, are slidable in the apertures 2m. Accordingly, an adjustment of this species is accomplished by backing off the set screw ifia which retains the second end disk Mia and, thereafter, by moving the said second end disk 13a and the blades thereon, as a unit, toward or away from the irusto-conic rotor lea. In Fig. '7, the marginal edge or side of the high bed profile line is indicated by a large arrow 2%. As with the previ- 0113 species, cultivation should proceed as close to the crop line as is practical without disturbing the relationship of the frusto-conic rotor 68a with respect to the edge of the planting area 26a. A further difference between the species is evident in the configuration of the profile line 1a, with respect to the profile line '3 Thus, the profile line la traces a small vertical line at both edges of the planting area whereas the side of the planting area of the first species was maintained at a constant slope. The particular configuration will, of course, depend upon the rancher or farmer doing the cultivation and upon the practice in the area where the high beds are located.

As is evident, the advantages flowing from the first species also flow from the second species and the adjustment or" both mechanisms is quite similar. However, it will be noted in the second species of my invention that nine individual blades are provided both on the cylindrical rotor and on the frusto-conic rotor. This nine blade disposition has been found to ofier a more rugged, a more efficient and a longer lived mechanism. However, the details thereof form no part of the instant invention. On the other hand, the disposition of the various blades relative to one another is a feature of the instant invention. To this end, it will be noted in Fig. 8 that each of the apertures Zia is located radially in from the corresponding frusto-conic blade 20a. This radial alignment causes the blades on both the cylindrical and frusto-conic rotors to contact the ground at the same time, the corresponding blades in the first species having been staggered so as to contact the ground at different times.

In summation, it will be seen that l have provided a mulching machine of particular utility in the cultivation of high beds. With this novel structure, a bladed frusto-conic rotor and a bladed cylindrical rotor longitudinally are aligned end to end for rotataion about the common axes thereof. Further, the blades of both rotors are carried by a common intermediate mounting disk, the blades of one rotor being fixed thereto and the blades of the other rotor being slidably accommodated. Accordingly, a structurally superior mulching machine is provided and the critical relationship of the frusto-conic rotor to the sloping side of a high bed profile line is maintained while and after the overall length of the unit is adjusted. Further, such an adjustment can be eilected with only a wrench and a farmer or rancher with a minimal mechanical knowledge can accomplish the adiustment without varying the setting of the frusto-conic rotor relative to the profile of a high bed.

I claim:

1. An adjustable mulching unit for high bed planting areas, comprising a multi-bladed frustoconic rotor and a multi-bladed cylindrical rotor rranged end to end in axial alignment with the smaller diameter of the former immediately adjacent the latter and with the larger diameter remote therefrom, a common mounting disk means mutually carrying the adjacent ends of said rotors for rotation about the axes thereof, one of said adjacent ends being fixed to said common mounting disk means and the other being slidably adjustable with respect thereto in a direction parallel said axes selectively to vary the overall length of the mulching unit.

2. An adjustable mulching unit as in claim 1 wherein that portion of said common mounting disk which is intermediate the center and the periphery thereof is pierced by a plurality oi apertures and wherein the blades on said other adjacent end slidably are received and nounted within said apertures, said apertures and blades being mated and correlated to prevent rotation of the blades in the apertures but to accommodate longitudina-l movement of the blades through the apertures during adjustment.

3. A mulching and profiling unit, comprising first and second end disks and an intermediate disk mounted in spaced parallel relationship for rotation about a common axis passing through the centers thereof, a first plurality of elongated blades carried by and spanning the distance between said first end' disk and said intermediate disk, said first blades being inclined at an oblique angle to said common axis to define a irustoconic outline which is smaller diametered adjacent the intermediate disk and larger diametered adjacent the first end disk, a second plurality of elongated blades carried by and spanning the distance between said second end disk and said intermediate disk, said second blades extending longitudinally beyond said intermediate disk and being parallel said common axis to define a cylindrical outline, and at least one of the disks carrying said second blades being movable in a direction parallel said common axis selectively to vary the overall length. of said mulching and profiling unit.

peripheries of both said and said first end disks. 5. A mulching and profilin unit as during adjustment.

9. A mulching and profilin unit, comprising an elongated drive shaft, first and second end 10 diameter than said second end disk and said first said intersaid apertures being arranged radially in from respective Ones of the first blade attachment points to said intermediate disk, and a 10. An adjustable mulcher comprising an elongated rotatable drive shaft having a non-circular cross-section, a mounting disk means fixed to said drive shaft for rotation therewith but for adjustment longitudinally thereof, a cylindrical with the ends of the blades thereof bein intermeshed and extending longitudinally beyond said mounting disk, said mounting disk being pierced by a plurality of peripherally spaced noncircular apertures which are complementary individually to inditachment plates being arranged peripherally intermediate an adjacent pair of said apertures thereto, the blades on 11. An adjustable mulcher for cultivating a high bed planting area, said mulcher comprising an elongated rotatable drive shaft, a fiat mountto end with the ends of the blades thereof being intermeshed and extendin longitudinally beyond said mounting disk, said mounting disk being pierced by a plurality of peripherally spaced. trirotor being slidably carried in complementary ones of said apertures, the blades on said cylin- 11 drica'l rotor being fixed to corresponding ones of said attachment plates for movement therewith, and means mounting said disk upon said drive shaft for adjustment parallel the shaft to carry said first blades therewith but slidably to pass said second blades.

12. An adjustable mulching unit for high bed planting areas, comprising a multi-bladed frustoconic rotor and a multi-bladed cylindrical rotor arranged end to end in axial alignment with the smaller diameter of the former immediately adjacent the latter and with the larger diameter remote therefrom, a mounting disk means carrying the adjacent ends of said rotors for rotation about the axes thereof, one of said adjacent ends being fixed to said mounting disk means and the other being slidably adjustable with respect thereto in a direction parallel said axes selectively to vary the overall length of the mulching unit.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Number Denmark Aug. 16, 1948 

